Legacy funds might go to Fond du Lac Chippewa band after all ...

A dispute over whether Minnesota Legacy Amendment tax dollars should be used to help an Indian band buy land on its reservation might be easing.

With an apparent reversal of opinion by at least one member of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa edged closer to being recommended to get $1.7 million in Legacy funds to protect a 440-acre parcel of land near the St. Louis River in northeastern Minnesota -- if the money becomes available.

The change of stance by state Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, follows a recent meeting among council Chairman David Hartwell, band Chairwoman Karen Diver, a band attorney and two staff members of the band's Resource Management division.

In a 7-5 vote Sept. 21, the council denied the band's request for the money to buy the land, which includes an 80-acre lake and 83 acres of wetlands. McNamara was the main voice of opposition in discussion leading up to the vote.

The affirmative rejection of the project -- an uncommon move by the council -- prompted Diver to object in writing. In a letter, she accused the council of failing to follow its own criteria for recommending projects, alleged the result was "punitive and discriminatory" and suggested a "constructive path forward." She said the denial was because of treaty rights band members have that have been upheld by courts.

During the Sept. 21 meeting, McNamara specifically objected to those treaty rights -- which allow band

members to hunt and fish under a separate set of rules than nonmembers -- being in effect on the parcel. He said it would set a "precedent" for Legacy dollars.

A staff member corrected him during the meeting: The 1854 treaty rights extend over a wide swath of the Arrowhead and are in effect for other lands that have been bought with Legacy tax proceeds. The band previously had agreed in writing that even though it would own the land, it would agree to all other terms that go with every other Legacy project, including public access for everyone. The Fond du Lac reservation's borders are not closed. The parcel is privately owned and being marketed for private development.

In an interview Wednesday, Oct. 17, McNamara maintained he wasn't aware the project wasn't precedent-setting when he voted against it. "I didn't understand that we had already been buying within the ceded territory," he said. "I was understanding that was going down new territory, and that's not the case. That changes it."

McNamara said he expects that the Legacy Amendment sales tax, approved by voters in 2008, will raise more money this year than the $92 million previously forecast. He said he would support putting that money toward the Fond du Lac project.

"I like the project," he said. "We'll see how the next forecast is."

Hartwell described his meeting with Diver as "constructive" and cordial.

"There was no direct talk of litigation," he said. "They could have taken a much harsher approach. I think they really want to see themselves as potential full partners over time."

In an interview Thursday, Diver said it's premature to speculate about whether the project might now get funded, but she said she was encouraged by the meeting with Hartwell.

"We're hopeful the board will take the time to address any misconceptions they may have," Diver said.

What was new about the Fond du Lac's request was that it was the first time a sovereign nation had requested Legacy money to buy land within its reservation. That was explained to McNamara shortly before members voted Sept. 21.

When asked about that in the recent interview, McNamara said: "What's the difference? It's going to be open to the public. If that was the reason we were doing it, then it would be wrong. We can't tell one group -- Becker County or Dakota County -- one thing, and then another group another thing."

Dave Orrick can be reached at 651-228-5512. Follow him at twitter.com/OutdoorsNow.

Source: http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_21811914/legacy-funds-might-go-fond-du-lac-chippewa?source=rss

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HBT: D-backs, A's, Marlins pull off 3-way deal

Here?s doozy of a trade to break up an otherwise quiet day around major league baseball.

Per announcements from the clubs involved, the Diamondbacks, Athletics and Marlins have pulled off a three-way trade which will send Heath Bell to Arizona and Chris Young to Oakland.

Here are the specifics as we have them right now:

The Diamondbacks dealt outfielder Chris Young and cash considerations to the Athletics for infielder Cliff Pennington and prospect infielder Yordy Cabrera. The Diamondbacks then sent Cabrera to the Marlins in exchange for reliever Heath Bell to complete the three-team deal.

Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the Diamondbacks will cover $13 million of the $21 million remaining on Bell?s contract. It?s clear that something had to be done with the disgruntled reliever after his disastrous first season in Miami, where he clashed with manager Ozzie Guillen and even some teammates. With that in mind, the Marlins have to be thrilled that they were able to not only get rid of Bell, but somehow convince the Diamondbacks to cover the majority of his remaining salary.

We knew the Diamondbacks would likely deal at least one of their outfielders this winter, but it?s hard to believe Kevin Towers couldn?t do better than this as a return for Young, especially considering the money they will now owe to a declining reliever. And in a poor environment for a bounceback, to boot. Towers must really like Pennington, but it?s hard to understand the rush. The Diamondbacks picked up the option on J.J. Putz?s contract for 2013 this morning, so Bell will be asked to pitch in a set-up role with his new club.

This looks like an excellent deal for the Athletics, even though Young is a bit of a curious fit with Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick set in the corner outfield spots and Coco Crisp under contract for $7 million for next season. Still, hard to pass up a deal for a talented center fielder at this price. They likely got a bit of a discount because of Young?s shoulder injury from this season.

Young, 29, is owed $8.5 million in 2013 while his contract includes an $11 million club option for 2014 or a $1.5 million buyout. Per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, the Diamondbacks are sending $500,000 to Oakland as part of the deal.

Given the surplus of outfield talent with the A?s, it wouldn?t be surprising if we see some more wheeling and dealing from Billy Beane soon, possibly with a deal involving Crisp or Seth Smith. It?s also worth noting that by dealing Pennington to the Diamondbacks, the A?s are more likely to exercise their portion of the $10 million player option Stephen Drew?s contract for next season.

Cabrera was ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the Athletics? organization by Baseball America coming into this season, but his numbers have been pretty underwhelming as a pro. The 22-year-old has a .230/.297/.351 batting line and a .648 OPS over three seasons and has yet to play above High-A. This was mostly about the Marlins getting out from under Bell?s contract. And they certainly accomplished that goal.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/20/dbacks-as-and-marlins-pull-off-three-way-deal-heath-bell-to-arizona-chris-young-to-oakland/related/

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Roice-Hurst Humane Society Holds Fundraiser | KREX - News ...

Story Created: Oct 20, 2012 at 4:21 PM MDT

Story Updated: Oct 20, 2012 at 10:50 PM MDT

FRUITA, Colo.- People were taking part in "Paws and Pies" Saturday at the Hot Tomato in Fruita.

The Roice-Hurst Humane Society held its second annual adoption and fundraiser event right outside the restaurant.

All the proceeds from the restaurant's sales will benefit the nonprofit shelter.

Seven dogs were up for adoption.

"When people come out and support us and play with our pets and help socialize with them, it's just a wonderful day," said Elaine Johnson-Craig, fundraising coordinator for the Roice-Hurst Humane Society.

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital also offered microchipping costing no more than $35.

Source: http://www.krextv.com/news/around-the-region/Roice-Hurst-Humane-Society-Holds-Fundraiser--175091291.html

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Stock splits by year in the S&P 500

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National Geographic to auction famous photos, art

NEW YORK (AP) ? National Geographic Society has chronicled scientific expeditions, explorations, archaeology, wildlife and world cultures for more than 100 years, amassing a collection of 11.5 million photos and original illustrations.

A small selection of that massive archive ? 240 pieces spanning from the late 1800s to the present ? will be sold at Christie's in December at an auction expected to bring about $3 million, the first time any of the institution's collection has been sold.

Among the items are some of National Geographic's most indelible photographs, including that of an Afghan girl during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a portrait of Admiral Robert Peary at his 1908 expedition to the North Pole, a roaring lion in South Africa and the face of a Papua New Guinea aborigine.

Paintings and illustrations include N.C. Wyeth's historical scene of sword-fighting pirates, Charles Bittinger's view of Earth as seen from the moon, and Charles Knight's depictions of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.

They are being auctioned "to celebrate our legacy .... and to give people a chance to buy a little part of this great institution's history," said Maura Mulvihill, senior vice president of National Geographic's image and video archives.

"We think of ourselves as the unsung fathers of modern photojournalism," she added. "I don't think people are aware of what a massive instructive archive this is."

Proceeds from the Dec. 6 auction, just weeks before National Geographic's 125th anniversary, will go for the promotion and preservation of the archive and "the nurturing of young photographers, artists and explorers ... who are the future of the organization," Mulvihill said.

National Geographic sponsors and funds scientific research and exploration through its official journal, National Geographic Magazine, which reaches 8.8 million people worldwide in 36 countries and in 27 languages. The society reaches millions more through its National Geographic Channel, books and other sources.

While National Geographic is known today for its photography, early magazines were filled with artwork.

Among the fine art being offered is an oil painting by Tom Lovell of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Civil War surrender at Appomattox. It's expected to fetch $20,000 to $30,000.

"The Duel On The Beach," a painting of two pirates by the American artist N.C. Wyeth, is estimated to sell for $800,000 to $1.2 million. Another Wyeth, "James Wolfe at Quebec," was commissioned to accompany a 1949 article on the general taking Quebec from the French general the Marquis de Montcalm. It has a pre-sale estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.

Steve McCurry's photograph of the Afghan girl carries an $8,000 to $12,000 pre-sale estimate. McCurry has made a special print of the image for the sale, and part of the proceeds from it will be donated to the Afghan Girls' Fund.

There's also Edward Curtis' 40-volume photo portfolio and book, "The North American Indian," believed to have been owned by Alexander Graham Bell. It's estimated at $700,000 to $900,000.

The sale also contains some images that have never been published, including a selection from Herbert Ponting, who produced some of the most enduring images of the Antarctic.

___

Online:

Christie's: www.christies.com

.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/national-geographic-auction-famous-photos-art-063410767.html

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Going underground: India needs to dig deep to keep lights on

DHANBAD, India (Reuters) - The slick mechanized operations at the Piparwar open-cast mine in eastern India, an ugly gash in the landscape bigger than New York's Central Park, could lead the casual observer to conclude that the country's coal industry is on a roll.

Piparwar, run by the state miner, produces some of the lowest-cost coal in India, just what's needed for a country struggling to get enough of the "black diamond" to fix a power crisis that recently plunged half a billion people into darkness and chokes economic growth.

With oil and gas output disappointing and hydropower at full throttle, Asia's third-largest economy still relies on coal for most of its vast energy needs. About 75 percent of India's coal demand is met by domestic production and, according to government plans, that won't change over the next five years.

The hitch is that India is running out of cheap open-cast coal from existing mines like Piparwar. Unless it starts investing now in underground mines, within a decade it will face a huge leap in energy import costs that could derail industrial projects, crimp economic growth and drive up inflation.

"With the ballooning demand for coal in India, open-cast mining has become the easy option, albeit at a great cost to the environment and society," said a senior executive at a power company, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"This easy option is likely to be exhausted within the next 10-12 years when the shallow seams amenable to open-cast mining dwindle."

WRONG DIRECTION

Coal India Limited, the state-run miner that produces 80 percent of the country's coal, recognizes the need to raise the amount that underground mining contributes to total output from just one tonne out of every 10.

But the higher costs and lower output of deep mining - Coal India's chairman has said its existing underground mines are loss-making - are pushing it in the wrong direction.

Its plans for new mines target a contribution from underground of only about 7 percent.

That would be disastrous, argues D.C. Panigrahi, director of the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, a mining town in the heart of Jharkhand, the country's most productive coal state.

He says that unless Coal India cuts its dependence on open cast mining by around 5 percentage points per year, overall output will start to stagnate around the end of this decade.

If India is going to meet its output targets of 750 million tonnes by 2016/17 - a rise of nearly 40 percent from the current financial year - it needs to act soon. It takes on average six years from planning to production for an underground mine.

India used to mine most of its coal underground, just as the world's biggest producer, China, currently does for its huge output of more than 3.5 billion tonnes a year. But it was not getting enough out of the ground fast enough to meet demand.

"When everything was underground, the growth rate was less than 2 percent per annum. We needed more than 5-6 percent growth and that could only come from open cast," said Partha Bhattacharyya, a former chairman and managing director of Coal India.

Open-cast mining strips away topsoil, or "overburden", to expose the seams underneath. It is much more economical than underground mining, where up to 70 percent of the coal must be left to act as support for the tunnels and galleries.

But while India has ample coal reserves - at about 286 billion tonnes, they are the world's fifth-largest, according to BP - not all of that is accessible by simply removing topsoil.

LAND PROTESTS

The other problem with open cast is the need to buy vast tracts of land, far more than underground mines, whose shafts, winding gear and offices can be set up on as little as 2.5 acres (1 hectare).

"Getting the land is becoming more and more difficult in a democratic country like India," said Panigrahi.

Protests highlighting land rights and acquisition issues have stalled industrial projects across India, including the country's biggest foreign investment - a $12 billion steel plant in the eastern state of Odisha planned by South Korea's POSCO that has been on the drawing board since 2005.

In Dhadu village, about 75 miles from Jharkhand state's capital, Ranchi, Electrosteel Castings Ltd has managed to buy just 435 acres of about 2,800 acres it needs to set up an open-cast mine and steel plant.

It now faces further uncertainty, with the government threatening to take back the concession amid the fallout from a wider corruption scandal over the awarding of coal blocks.

"We've given away our land happily to the company. But now, it has been four years. Nothing has come up and we are getting old. Our youngsters are unemployed," said 70-year old Asim Mia, who along with his two brothers gave up 1.5 acres of land each for the North Dhadu coal block.

Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states, despite its rich natural resources, and locals worry that unrest and unemployment plays into the hands of Maoist 'Naxalite' activists, whose attacks on coal facilities and railroads have heightened tension in the area over land rights.

The government is planning a revamp of the country's colonial-era land acquisition laws that India Inc. worries could force it to pay four times the market price for land in rural areas. That could hit the cost of mining projects and slow the pace of fresh production coming online.

"SNAKES AND LADDERS"

About half an hour's drive from Ranchi, the criss-cross of railway lines and electricity pylons that map the state's rapid industrialisation gives way to protected forest land and the bright green shoots of this year's rice crop.

Some 30 percent of Jharkhand's land is designated forest, among the highest in India, posing yet another difficulty for companies in search of land for open-cast mines.

For every acre of forest purchased for industrial plans an acre of undeveloped land elsewhere, plus money for afforestation, need to be handed to the forest department, just one part of the complex process of securing state and federal clearance to develop forest land that one state government official described as "a game of snakes and ladders".

The average cost of open-cast coal for Coal India is about $13 a tonne, former CIL chairman Bhattacharyya says. For underground mines, the average cost is about $75 per tonne, according to analysts Wood Mackenzie, which makes many of them loss-making at current contract and market prices.

"Everything comes down to economics," said Wood Mackenzie's coal market analyst, Prakash Sharma.

"Companies try to look at the open-cast method first but when land acquisition becomes difficult, there's a compromise on mining costs and you opt for underground mining."

The economics will push India's power bill higher, and with it inflation: it is just a question of how much and when.

Already, surging demand for electricity generation means that Coal India's open auction prices are more than double those of its long-term deals and it has delayed sealing those commitments at lower prices.

Expensive imports partly fill the gap in demand and their contribution is set to grow, but buying from abroad currently costs up to 50 percent more.

In the most optimistic scenario envisaged by the government's Planning Commission, imports could be 182 million tonnes in 2016/17 from about 90 million tonnes in 2011/12.

Even under this best-case, Coal India would probably struggle to supply more than half of the extra demand created by new power generation capacity the government says is needed.

The power company executive believes time is running out.

"A severe power crisis is imminent if we do not shift our focus to underground coal mining," he said.

(Editing by Alex Richardson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/going-underground-india-needs-dig-deep-keep-lights-222324044--finance.html

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"Trekkies" break world record at London convention

LONDON (Reuters) - Star Trek fans made history on Saturday by breaking the record for the largest gathering of people dressed as characters from the TV series at the "Destination Star Trek London" convention.

An estimated 1,083 costume-clad "trekkies" assembled at the event at London's ExCel centre, narrowly beating the previous record of 1,040 characters, which was set at the bigger, annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas in August.

The achievement will be officially verified by Guinness World Records within a few days, but organisers were confident they had topped the Las Vegas record.

The majority of record-breakers dressed in the colour-blocked uniforms of the Starfleet, with Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans peppering the crowd.

Trekkie Mark Whitfield went to extreme lengths to participate, wearing a full-body suit to emulate a mugato, a beast from "Star Trek: the Original Series".

"It looks silly, it's just a gorilla suit painted white with horns on it. It's very, very hot. In fact, I was on the verge of collapse when a very kind person gave me a bottle of water because I dehydrated quite badly," he said.

"Destination Star Trek London" is the first live Star Trek event in Britain for over a decade. Around 17,000 fans came to London to celebrate the 46-year-old TV and film franchise, which has spawned six television series and 11 feature films.

"NERDS"

Dawn Harris, 26, who had created an Orion slave girl costume and painted herself metallic green, said there was great enthusiasm for the world record attempt.

"There just hasn't been a convention in the UK for so long. So I think everyone wants to be involved in everything as much as they can. Everybody saw that guy jump out of a plane in space so people are drawn to things like that," she said, referring to Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking jump from a balloon near the edge of space last Sunday.

"Nerds like achieving missions. We've been set a quest and it must be achieved," Harris's fianc?, Ryan Croft, added.

Outlandish costumes were ubiquitous at the event, which saw Britain's first Klingon wedding on Friday. Swedish couple Jossie Sockertopp and Sonnie Gustavsson tied the knot in full Klingon attire and exchanged vows in the fictional and guttural-sounding language of the Star Trek characters.

The three-day convention also saw all five captains from the TV series appear on stage together for the first time.

The captains played by actors William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Avery Brooks (Captain Sisko), Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway) and Scott Bakula (Captain Archer) joined forces to officially open the convention on Friday night.

Speaking ahead of the opening ceremony, 81-year-old Shatner appeared moved when discussing the show's loyal and sometimes obsessive fans in an interview with Reuters.

"It's an accumulation of a lot of work and a lot of people travelling from all over the world here. It's sort of monumental in its worth," Shatner said.

The veteran actor turned filmmaker has released the documentary "Get a Life!", which examines why fans attend conventions.

"The conclusion that I come to is that it's (Star Trek) mythological," Shatner told Reuters. "It's a desire for mythology that we don't have in this age."

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trekkies-break-world-record-london-convention-200832764.html

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Marriott to double Russia and CIS portfolio by 2015 - eTurboNews

Oct 18, 2012

MOSCOW and BETHESDA, Md. - Marriott International, Inc. is on track to double its portfolio in Europe from 40,000 rooms to 80,000 rooms by 2015. Marriott is fueling much of its growth in Europe with a strong focus on new development in Russia & CIS and today announced it will grow its existing portfolio in the region by more than 50 percent to more than 30 hotels open by 2015.

Amy McPherson, president and managing director for Marriott International in Europe, speaking from the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference in Moscow today said, "Over the past 15 years we have developed a strong presence in Russia and CIS and are excited about the continued growth opportunities throughout the region for our expanding portfolio of brands."

McPherson added, "Russia also represents a tremendous opportunity for the travel sector. One of the world's fastest growing outbound travel markets, the country is now Marriott's fourth largest source market for travel in Europe fueled by a rising middle class with growing discretionary income. And with the robust growth here, we expect to see strong demand for travel in to Russia as well for both business and leisure travelers alike."
Marriott International currently operates 19 hotels in Russia & CIS across six lodging brands and has committed to opening an additional 11 hotels over the next three years including the:

? The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, Kazakhstan
? Krasnodar Marriott Hotel, Russia
? Tsaghkadzor Marriott Hotel, Armenia
? Baku Marriott Amburan Beach Resort, Azerbaijan
? Renaissance Kiev Hotel, Ukraine
? Marriott Krasnaya Polyana Hotel, Russia
? JW Marriott Sochi Golf Resort, Russia
? Courtyard by Marriott Sochi Plaza Hotel, Russia
? Krasnoyarsk Marriott Hotel, Russia
? Voronezh Marriott Hotel, Russia
? Moscow Marriott Novy Arbat Hotel, Russia

Highlighting Marriott International's commitment to the Russia & CIS market, Carlton Ervin, chief development officer for Marriott in Europe, said, "We are very focused on our development here and have augmented our development resources to enable us to meet our ambitious growth objectives for Russia and CIS. We see particular opportunity in the capital cities for our luxury and lifestyle brands including The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION and Autograph Collection, as well as great potential in the mid-tier segment for our Courtyard by Marriott brand in regional cities across Russia. "

Marriott International operates six brands across Russia & CIS -- The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments.

Source: http://www.eturbonews.com/31789/marriott-double-russia-and-cis-portfolio-2015

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Oak Cliff entertainment: Home movies, Latino Arts Fest, musical ...

On the Oak Cliff free-time front:

* No telling what video surprises await viewers Saturday at the Texas Theatre. Home Movie Day, a worldwide celebration of amateur filmmaking, will find focus locally from 4 to 7 p.m. at the theater, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.

Sponsored by the City of Dallas Archives, the free event will include movies shot by African-Americans in southern Dallas during the early 1950s. This from John Slate, the city archivist and gathering organizer. A film clinic and preservation tips will also be part of the show.

?The object is to promote the preservation of personal photos and films,? Slate said. ?A $5 donation is requested to support the archives important work and the theater?s restoration.

* The first Latino Arts Fest is planned for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 in the Bishop Arts District. Besides visual artists, the event?s Facebook page says the gathering will include ?poets, performers and musicians.?

Also, an art contest, dancing,?exhibitions and interactive activities and a children?s story time and more. Free.?More right here.

* For more than a few folks, the north Oak Cliff weekend festivities will begin Saturday, Nov. 3 with the first North Oak Cliff Music Festival. The response has been so overwhelming, organizers have decided to move the action from the Kessler Theater to Lake Cliff Park. From indoors to outdoors. Noon to 8 p.m. Buy tickets and get more details at the festival website.

* And there?s the third annual Blues, Bandits & BBQ meat, music and drink deal next weekend, Oct. 26-27.?Get more information and buy tickets right here.

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Source: http://oakcliffblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/oak-cliff-entertainment-home-movies-latino-arts-fest-musical-festival-and-bbq.html/

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shopautoweek.com's iPad App is Car Buying Research Done Right

When I visited Detroit for a couple of days during late 2011 I wrote the story about how AutoWeek, a 53-year old magazine, was bootstrapping a car-buying startup in shopautoweek.com. The team has been doing a great job gathering information and helping people to make informed buying decisions, and now adds a beautiful iPad app to its tools for car-buying research.

I?ve been playing with the shopautoweek.com iPad app for about a month, watching the team implement changes and generally provide a more polished experience. I can now safely say that it?s the single best experience I?ve used, and I think you?ll enjoy it too.

Let?s start with the overall design. It?s cars first, through and through. Loading up the app you?re immediately taken to an?overwhelming?selection of vehicles. But narrowing those down by your preferences is intuitive and done quite easily.

If you?ve used the shopautoweek.com site then the sorting features are already going to be familiar to you. But if you haven?t, the idea is that you can quickly and easily tell the app ?Your Needs?, which are broken down by things that actually make sense. You?ll see selections for fuel economy, family-friendly, sporty, hauling and more. As you select each point that?s important to you, your selections narrow.

But once you?ve narrowed those selections, things start to get really fun with the app. The Notebook feature from the shopautoweek.com site also carries over to the iPad app. This allows you to add vehicles of ?your choosing, keep notes about them, and compare them to one another at will. Though you can only compare two at a time, it?s still a great feature to have at your fingertips.

Inside the listing page for each vehicle you?ll find a wealth of information. Of course there are photos, but?there?are also?editorial?reviews, a full features listing, beautiful gallery photos and even suggested reading that surrounds the hot-button points of your car. For instance, if you?ve looked into a ?green? vehicle, your suggested reading will include things like lineups of the hottest gas-savers for the year, sourced from AutoWeek and shopautoweek.com

Retina-ready graphics are in heavy use through the app, but their increased size doesn?t seem to affect the load times. When browsing over WiFi every page load was snappy, and the general feel of the app is on par with the great choices we?ve come to know from the best developers.

But no matter how you slice it, the real beauty of the app is the fact that?s it?s simply car buying research done the way that makes the most sense. AutoWeek (and thereby shopautoweek.com) has been a trusted name in the automotive review business for decades. That knowledge, coupled with a brilliant sense of design and UX, rockets the shopautoweek.com iPad app right to my top choice for applications in its class.

? shopautoweek.com, via the App Store

Source: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/10/18/shopautoweeks-new-ipad-app-is-car-buying-research-done-right/

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The Return of a Great 19th-Century Meteor Shower

Long thought nearly extinct, the Andromedid meteor shower staged a surprise outburst last December?and may return in 2018 and 2023

By Ken Croswell

BIELA'S BITS: Although it split--in more ways than one--during the 19th century, Biela's Comet still rains debris on Earth. Image: Flickr/E. Wei?

Each year as Earth journeys around the sun, it slams into streams of particles that comets have spewed into space. When these particles, known as meteoroids, smash into the atmosphere, they generate streaks of light called meteors. The most reliable meteor showers?the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December?sport about 60 meteors an hour and require nothing more than a dark, moonless sky in order to appreciate them.

Early last December, however, an uncharted meteoroid stream pelted the planet with one of the year's strongest showers. "It was a complete surprise," says Peter G. Brown, an astronomer at the University of Western Ontario. "No one had predicted this." On the night of December 4, 2011, six Canadian radar stations, which send out pulses of radio waves that bounce off meteor trails, detected 50 meteors an hour.

The meteors radiated from the northern constellation Cassiopeia, which borders the constellation Andromeda, and marked a revival of the Andromedids, a shower that achieved notoriety in the 19th century. The meteors result from debris left by Biela's Comet. First seen in 1772, this faint comet swung around the sun every 6.6 years. Before the comet's 1846 passage, it broke in two, and in 1852 it returned as two separate comets.

No one ever saw them again. But in 1872 and 1885, spectacular Andromedid meteor storms took their place, shooting thousands of meteors an hour across the sky: "a real rain of fire," wrote one observer. During the 20th century, though, the Andromedids dwindled to insignificance. The surprise 2011 comeback was their best performance in more than 100 years.

Astronomer Paul Wiegert, also at Western Ontario, modeled the 2011 shower and traced the meteors' origin to particles that Biela's Comet shed in 1649, more than a century before the comet was seen. Furthermore, in work recently submitted to The Astronomical Journal, Wiegert, Brown and their colleagues predict that Earth will soon plow through this newfound meteoroid stream again.

"There are certainly a number of uncertainties involved with trying to predict the meteoroid stream which is associated with a long-gone comet," Wiegert says. "But our best bet is that the shower will return again in 2018."

Fortunately, the Andromedids are civilized visitors: Unlike most meteor showers, which are best seen in the wee hours, bits of Biela's Comet are easiest to see before midnight, when the radiant in Cassiopeia is highest. The radiant is the spot on the sky from which every meteor seems to emanate, but meteors will appear everywhere, not just in Cassiopeia and Andromeda, so it is best to look wherever the sky is darkest. In fact, a dark sky is essential: the meteors are faint, because the particles in the newfound stream are small and their speeds slow; it is kinetic energy that largely determines a meteor's brightness. Thus, observers must escape both the glow of city lights and the brightness of the moon, which washes out faint meteors.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=dae039a3fa679085e44e4fa58a707e27

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Before Werth's walkoff, a rousing speech for Nats

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth leaps onto home plate after hitting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the National League baseball division series, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. The Nationals won 2-1, sending the series to a deciding fifth game. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee) EDWARDSVILLE OUT ALTON OUT

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth leaps onto home plate after hitting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the National League baseball division series, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. The Nationals won 2-1, sending the series to a deciding fifth game. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee) EDWARDSVILLE OUT ALTON OUT

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth points to the Nationals dugout as he rounds the bases after hitting the game-winning solo home run in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League division baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. Washington won 2-1. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth, center, hugs teammate Danny Espinosa (8) after hitting the game-winning solo home run in their 2-1 win in Game 4 of the National League division baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth speaks during a news conference after the Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in Game 4 of the National League division baseball series, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth, right, celebrates his game-winning solo home run with teammates Christian Garcia, left, and Drew Storen in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League division baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, in Washington. Washington won 2-1. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Hours before Jayson Werth's game-ending homer on a 13-pitch at-bat extended the Washington Nationals' surprising season, before a bullpen trio got eight consecutive outs via strikeouts, before Ian Desmond's acrobatic catch, a guy who isn't even on the playoff roster fired up a team facing elimination against the defending champs.

Mark DeRosa, a spare-part utility player who made his major league debut 14 years ago, grabbed the microphone of his clubhouse karaoke machine and quoted from Roosevelt's rousing 1910 "Man in the Arena" speech ? aiming to make the Nationals think they could beat the St. Louis Cardinals and set up a Game 5 in their NL division series Friday night.

"Our backs were against the wall. I wanted to say something that brought us together, a band of brothers who go out fighting and see what happens," DeRosa explained.

Worked wonders, apparently.

"Epic," was closer Drew Storen's description. "It's the stuff movies are made of."

So was the scene in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 4, when Washington beat St. Louis 2-1 to tie their NLDS.

Joyous, bouncing teammates waiting to greet him, the red-clad crowd raucous as can be, Werth yanked off his batting helmet with two hands and thrust it a dozen or more feet overhead before leaping onto home plate after his big hit.

A little less than two years ago, the Nationals showered Werth with millions, persuading him to come show them how to win. With one swing of his black bat at dusk Thursday, Werth wiped away whatever disappointments marred his early days in D.C.

Werth led off the bottom of the ninth inning against reliever Lance Lynn by fouling off pitch after pitch before sending the ball beyond the wall in left field, giving the Nationals a tense victory.

"That's the way that game should have ended: Jayson Werth hitting a home run," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "He has not hit that many this year. ... Unbelievable. Great effort on his part."

The best-of-five series will end Friday night in Washington, with the winner advancing to face the San Francisco Giants in the NL championship series. The starters are a rematch of Game 1, which Washington won 3-2: Gio Gonzalez on the mound for the NL East champion Nationals, and Adam Wainwright for the wild-card Cardinals.

"It's what you play all season for, and what you work out all winter for, and what you get to spring training early for," Werth said. "We have a chance tomorrow to take that next step. I know my teammates will be ready. And the city will, too."

The homer was Werth's first of the series, the 14th of his postseason career. He won the 2008 World Series and a string of division titles with the Philadelphia Phillies, then moved to Washington before last season as a free agent on a $126 million, seven-year contract that stunned much of baseball.

He managed to hit only five homers with 31 RBIs in 2012, missing 75 games because of a broken left wrist. Last year, his first in Washington, Werth hit .232 with 58 RBIs, and there was grumbling about his worth.

That vanished when Werth circled the bases, raising his right index finger in a "No. 1" gesture, while the announced attendance of 44,392 roared, and other Nationals raced out of their dugout to greet him.

"I'm just happy that these fans got to see it, because obviously he had a rough year last year, and he got hurt this year, and I don't think the fans realize how good of a player Jason is," Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "For him to have a moment like this in front of the home fans, and in front of this atmosphere, I couldn't be happier for him. He deserves it."

Werth's arrival certainly coincided with a quick turnaround: The Nationals lost 100 games in 2008 and 2009, but led the majors with 98 wins this year.

"I knew that a winning ballclub would bring the fans," Werth said, "and here we are, two years later, and they're showing up and it's awesome."

According to DeRosa, Werth heard the pregame oration and came running to hear.

"I feel like if they're going to keep me around and keep me here, there's a reason for it," DeRosa said. "I've been in these games. I've grinded."

Roosevelt's speech, which he gave in Paris, includes the lines: "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood ... and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Werth's shot provided a sudden end to a classic postseason contest filled with tremendous pitching. Each team managed only three hits. No Washington batter ever came to the plate with a runner in scoring position. Both of the host's runs came on solo shots, including Adam LaRoche's in the second off Kyle Lohse.

Lynn, usually a starter for St. Louis but a reliever in these playoffs, was making his third appearance of this series.

"Heater. He beat me," Lynn said. "I've had success this series with him, and, you know, everyone in the stadium knew what I was throwing there."

Especially Werth.

"It was just a matter of time," Lynn added. "I was challenging him, and he was up for it."

The righty was the Cardinals' third pitcher ? facing only one batter ? and manager Mike Matheny was asked afterward why he didn't use closer Jason Motte.

"If we were at home, it would have been a very easy decision to bring in Motte," Matheny said, explaining that if he used up his closer and St. Louis went ahead later in the game, a reliever not used to getting a save would have needed to try.

"Had a lot of confidence in Lance. He came in throwing the ball well," Matheny added. "Werth just put together a very good at-bat."

Cardinals batters decidedly did not down the stretch. Washington's Jordan Zimmermann ? the Game 2 starter making his first relief appearance in the majors ? Tyler Clippard and Storen combined for eight Ks in three innings. Storen pitched the top of the ninth and got the win.

"All of them were throwing harder than I've seen them throw," Johnson said.

Storen walked No. 8 hitter Pete Kozma with two outs, before getting pinch hitter Matt Carpenter on a twisting, stumbling overhead catch by shortstop Ian Desmond, who wound up sliding face-down along the grass in short left field. When Desmond rose, he chucked the ball high into the stands and yelled.

Moments later, Werth had all the towel-twirling spectators yelling, too, thanks to the way he turned on a 96 mph fastball. For much of the game, the hometown fans were rather quiet, perhaps dreading a sooner-than-expected end to their team's better-than-expected year.

While nearly to a man ? except, naturally, for Werth ? the young Nationals are new to this sort of thing, the Cardinals have quite the postseason pedigree: Over the past two years, St. Louis is 5-0 in games where it faces elimination, including must-have victories in Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 World Series against the Texas Rangers.

"We've got a lot of veterans in this clubhouse that have been in big spots before and have lost games and know how to bounce back," second baseman Daniel Descalso said. "We've done a good job of that lately, and we're going to try to do it again."

Gonzalez, who led the majors with 21 wins, will oppose Wainwright, a 14-game winner who was a spectator during last year's title run while recovering from reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow.

"Of course I wish we would have won tonight, but you know what? This is every pitcher's dream, I would say," Wainwright said. "Every competitor's dream is to go in huge moments like that, so I look forward to the challenge."

NOTES: Nationals rookie Bryce Harper is 1 for 18 in the series. ... The Cardinals' only run in Game 3 was unearned. It came in the third, when Ross Detwiler ? probably in the postseason rotation only because Stephen Strasburg was shut down ? walked Kozma, who took second on a sacrifice bunt, reached third on Desmond's fielding error and scored on Carlos Beltran's sac fly.

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-12-NLDS-Cardinals-Nationals%20Folo/id-6e2bfa4a240a415f8a7965ef3ec4e8c2

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Skyzoo Never Wanted To Exploit Romance With Derek Jeter's Sister

'Derek was lookin' at me like a little brother, reason being he could trust me,' MC tells 'RapFix Live' of his relationship with New York Yankees captain.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Skyzoo on "RapFix Live"
Photo:

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695326/skyzoo-romance-derek-jeters-sister.jhtml

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